Material handling scoop



zwamg Jan. 19, 1954 D. F. M LEOD MATERIAL HANDLING SCOOP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed may 1 1949 INVENTOR. David E McLeod Jan. 19, 1954 D. F. MOLEOD MATERIAL HANDLING $000? 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed May 16. 1949 l/VVEA/TGR David F M 4900 Attorney Patented Jan. 19,

UNITED STTEfi 1 Cla'i'ni.

. 1 e V I Thisinvention relates to improvementsin utility devices designed-for moving such matefrms as snow, leaves or the like and is 'directedfp'ar' ticularly to a, device of such character whichea'n be easily operated by hand. I

A principal object of the present inventioni s to provide a; material moving device of the chew 'ecter' stated which is in the form of a large scoop having e' haln'dle connected therewith elnii con': structed in such manner that it they beeasih and quickly moved in' the nature of a toboggan over' the surface of the gr'ound or over'a' snow or ice covered area, fo the purpose of picking up snow, grass, leaves or other material of a like nature so that the ame may be easily transpor'ted't'o a; disposal poiht;

Anoth'ei object o: the invention is to provi e 'a. device of thech'a'ra'cteh Stated which is light but strong end'du'rable and which is constructed in the novel manner whereby it'ma'ybe collapsed and folded for' easy transportation or storage, Still another object of the invention is taprovide a hand operated device of the character statedhavihg a solid metal bottom' and fabric Side" and back walls, withhovel means foi'iiiain timing the' side and b'eick WaHs' in set 1115 c'o'ridi tion' for use provisiofi being made" for the op"- e'r'ation of-t he' device'iby means of a; reerw'alidly extending handle which is connected to the ffmepbftibfi of the device whichriiajintain's the fabriewall's in pos tion. I

Still another object of the' invention is to p16 vide a; device" of the character" stated wherei'ri-the' solid'bot'tom of floor portion is cohstruc'tedwith a rear upwardly curved part which may be .em-

filled, with thenialter'ial to be moved, by u 'mg the filled device back" so that it rests entirely upon thec'urved rearend portion wherebyiit may' grass, or othei ipeiticles' of a like character.-

The i 'nventioh will behest understood-from a consideration of the following. detailed descrip tipn 't'akenfi n' connection with the accompanying drawings forming a; part of the spec fication,

With'the uhderstahdifig, hdweve'i'; that the 'irive'n tioh i's not tobelifilit'ed to the exact details of construction shown and described since obviou s" modifications wilr occur to a person skilled in til-e em side aridb'aclwalls. These latter want are Figure 3- is a fragmentary deteiii shbw fi the connection 'betweehohe' side of the" wa: 11--sup drt= ing' fram'eandthe bofttoinfof thedevice; I Figure 4 is 2/ view in perscecuve of agriothe'i embodiment of the invention wherein the side and bejckiwalls are of rig'idm'atefiel, I I Fi ure 5 is a fragmentar detail showing ifitop lan detachable connections'ibetweeh" certain of e s. A. W

Figure 6 is a detail viewillu strating one main ner of connectirig' the braiceeirms' to the'hahdle'.

Figure Tis a, flfag'mhtary detail of thlconne'c'tionbetween the b'race'and' handle dfthe embodiment'shown'in Figured. I I

Figure 8 is a view in perspective of still" 'aifi other em'bodimeiit o fjthe invention shovvihgthe useof a, fabricv'vall structure. I

Figure 9 is-a1- eeu6na1 View taken on the line 9 9 of Figure 8. V v v e Ei'g'ixr lojisi vie iii erspective dfth'ef eiii= bo'diment show'h'in' Fig'u're 81m sho'wihg'the' use of gigid walls; I r I I Fi'gurefll is a; detail View offa'reke'ieleiiiefit"d' sighed for use"ihcohnectioh with the" embodi mem illus'tratedi'ri"Figures'fi and 10'; I Referring nowmore pzirticulalfly'to ,the' dr" ings; Figures 1 to 3 iriclusivejshow ari ihbOdlnient of 'thepreseht invention herein the side and back Walls maybe constructed of a suitable heavy famine thereb'y' er'o'du'ee a. structure of mmimiumweig'ht; I I I In this; first'eh bodimentof the invention there is provided a, bottom wall or-bottom plate whichis generally deignated= I!) and which has the straight front edge 14, the upturned side? edge flanges; 1 land an upturned rear edge 'p'ortmml 3 whichis turnedbmarelativem'w by to provide a: transverse baiek r uimer boggan sole on which the filled recebtelcle 'fiiay bei'sli'd;

The nuinei ejils l'lithd 16 desig' 'it'e res'fie'ctiiiehi 3 able manner as by the use of rivets |8 or the like.

Bordering the top edges of the side and back walls is a frame formed of steel or other suitable material and comprising the side rails l9 and back rail 20.

At the free end of each side member I9 of the frame there is formed an eye 2| and in this eye is connected a corresponding eye 22 of a front leg 23 for the frame which extends downwardly to the adjacent corner of the bottom Upon the bottom H at each side and adjacent to the forward edge there is secured by-welding or in any other suitable manner, a hinge sleeve 24 and into this sleeve is inserted the right angularly extended lower end portion 25 of the adjacent leg 23. This angular extension 25 forms a hinge pin which is inserted into the sleeve 24.

Upon the top of each sleeve 24 is secured an ear 26 to which is pivotally attached by a bolt 2'! or in any other suitable manner, an end of a supporting brace arm 28. This arm extends upwardly and is inclined slightly rearwardly as shown in Figure 1 and is provided with a suitable notch in its rear edge as indicated at 29, for engagement with a pin 30 carried by the adjacent side rail l9 of the frame.

Secured to the back or cross rail or bar 28 of the frame, midway between the ends thereof, is the upwardly and rearwardly extending handle 3|, across the upper or outer end of which is the transverse hand bar 32. The sleeve H of the material of the back wall H3 is, of course, provided with a suitable opening so that the handle 3| may extend through and also extending through such opening and rigidly secured to the lower end of the handle 3| or the rail ii, is a forwardly extending eye or clevis 33.

Secured to the clevis 33 by bolt or pin 34 is the eye 35. which is formed at the upper end of a brace rod 36. This brace rod extends downwardly across the inner or forward face of the back -wall H5 and is turned at its lower end to provide a hook 3? similar to the hooked end 25 of a leg 23. This hook 31 at the lower end of the brace rod 35 is engaged through an eye 38 which is fixed to the bottom plate of the device upon the upwardly curving rear part I4 thereof as shown in Figure 2. Thus, by means of the brace rod. 35, the collapse of the wall structure is prevented when downward pressure or force is applied to the handle 3| for the purpose of sliding the unit forwardl to scoop up snow or other material.

In order to further stabilize the structure, there is secured at the opposite corners of the wall bracing frame, the inwardly converging brace rods 39 which are brought into overlapping relation and receive, in suitable apertures, a bolt 40 which is carried by the handle and upon which is threaded the nut 4| to maintain the brace arms 39 firmly in position.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 4 the side and back walls of suitable rigid material are employed. In this embodiment the bottom plate is designated 42 and the opposite side edges are turned up slightly as indicated as 43.

The side and back walls 44 and 45 are attached by hinges 46 and 41, respectively, to the bottom plate 42, with the side walls at the inner sides of the upturned portions 43. The hinges 46 and 47 are so positioned that the walls may be folded inwardly one over the other. When the back wall is folded in first the side walls may then be folded down one on top of the other and both upon the back wall so as to collapse the struc ture into a substantially flat body.

When the side walls and back walls are set up for use the same may be secured together by means of a latch 4-8, here shown as being carried by a side Wall, and a keeper 49 shown as being carried by the back wall. However, the invention is not limited to this specific connection but it is obvious that any suitable connecting means may be employed.

The numeral 50 designates the handle which at its lower end lies against the inner face of the back wall 45 and the lower end of this handle is connected with a substantially Ushaped frame 5| consisting of the transverse back portion 52 and the forwardly and downwardly curving side portions 53.

At the free lower ends of the side portions 53 of the frame are formed the eyes 54 each of which has extended therethrough a pivot pin or bolt 5 which passes through and is maintained in position by two spaced apertured ears 56 which are secured to the bottom plate 42 adjacent to a front corner as shown in Figure 5.

Passing through the lower end of the handle 50 and also through the back wall 45, is an eye bolt 51, the eye portion 58 of which lies upon the forward side of the handle. A nut 59 threaded upon the rear end of the bolt bears against the rear side of the back wall 45 and draws the handle and wall tightly together.

The numeral 60 designates a brace rod corresponding to the brace rod 36. The upper end of this brace rod is provided with one or a pair of eyes 3| which are positioned in side by side relation with the eye 58 of the eye bolt 51 to receive a connecting bolt or pin 62. The brace rod 66 extends downwardly and is secured at its lower end in a suitable manner to the plate 42, in a manner similar to that in which the brace rod 3% is secured to the bottom plate Ill, or in any other suitable manner.

As shown in Figure 5 the spaced eyes 56, which form bearings for the pins 55, are spaced apart a distance materially greater than the thickness of the eye 54 which is positioned therebetween. This arrangement provides for the attachment across the front edge of the bottom plate 42 of the scoop, of a fork or rake unit which is generally designated 63. Such unit may be of any suitable character but is here shown as consisting of a transverse back bar 64 to which are attained a number of forwardly extending fingers or tines 65. At each end of the bar Ed is secured a hinge ear 66 which is suitably apertured and extends rearwardly to be positioned between a pair of cars 56 and to have extended through it the adjacent pivot or coupling pin 55 in the manner shown in Figure'5. The tines 66 are suitably formed upon their under sides to provide curved riding surfaces which will facilitate their movement over the surface of the ground without allowing the points of the tines to dig into the ground. Of course, when the scoop device is used for removing snow or similar material his rake unit 63 will be removed.

In the use of the present invention in either of its forms the device is shoved over the surface of the ground flat upon the bottom plate it or 42 to pick up snow or other material which is to be moved. After the scoop has received a suitable load the operator bears down upon the rear end of the handle so as to tilt the scoop onto the curved back portion M or on the back corner of the bottom plate 42 and then uses this curved 'ra'yeeeg eee 'baickportionpff therbottomsplate asa'a toboggamto slide: the scoop: "overt-the surface iof. the ground to the disposal.

When the desired useaha's beenm'ade of th'e 'scoopthe same-may be re'adilytfold'ed: and stored :away. In the case of the embodiment illustrated in' Figures 1 and. '2' the :brace or latching arm; 28 is idisengaged torm the pin 39 adjacent thereto and. the brace rod. 36 is: disengaged from the back portion of the bottom plate whereuponthe canvas waned sides can be folded :in onto the bottom.

With regard to the form. shown in: Figure "4 the 'U frame is removed by disconnecting the forward ends 54 from the bottom plate and by removing the eye: bolt 51 and disconnecting-the brace arms 61 from thehandle, such arms being attached to the handle in the manner illustrated iniifgure 6. The back may'th'enbe folded. down and the side walls 'fol'ded'in and'the parts readily stored'away. v

Figures 8 to" II illustrate'a'further embodiment of the invention wherein the handle structure is attached to the forward portion of the bottom of the device and is braced against the said bottom of the device at the rear of the latter so that a firm rigid construction is obtained and at the same time the device can be easily and quickly folded or collapsed.

This additional embodiment of the invention also provides for the use of either rigid wall portions or walls of flexible material such as canvas or the like.

In this latter embodiment the bottom is gen erally designated and comprises a suitably large rectangular plate 16 having the upstanding side and back walls designated respectively 11 and 19.

The handle is generally designated 19 and is of substantially U-shape, comprising the spaced parallel side arms 89 and the transverse connecting portion 8| which provides the handle bar or hand grip for the device.

The handle unit 19 is positioned with the free end portions against the inner sides of the walls 11 at the forward ends of the latter and passing through the side portions 89 are the pivot bolts 82, each of which is connected to the adjacent side wall. By this means the handle unit 19 as a whole can be swung downwardly toward the back wall 18 when desired.

Each of the handle portions 89 at its free end has the flat obtusely angled foot 83 which extends forwardly beyond the forward edge 16' of the plate 16 and is substantially horizontal when the handle unit 19 is set up for use.

Each foot portion 83 is suitably apertured to have a bolt 84 pass therethrough. The foot portions 83 are provided for the detachable support, forwardly of the edge 16 of the bottom plate 16, of a scrapping blade 85 such as that illustrated or a toothed rake blade 86. These blades are provided with suitable openings for the extension of the bolts 84 therethrough whereby the blades are supported forwardly of the edge of the bottom plate 16. I

It will be readily seen that when the handle unit 19 is swung downwardly on the pivot bolts 82 the blade 85 or the rake blade 86 will be swun upwardly away from the supporting surface.

Extending tranversely between the side members 80 of the handle unit is a second handle bar which is designated 81 and which parallels the bar 8|. This second bar 81 facilitates the maintenance of the device in backwardly tilted position 6. when it is desired to elevate the forwardedgl or it may' also be used when dumping the scoop.

In addition to functioning'as'an :extra :handle bar, the bar 81 also provides .mean'sfor-the pivotal connection to thehandle' unit 19, of a braceunit which generally designatedfBB and which is in the form of an upright "U shap'ed frame having the bottom horizontal bar. 89 and; the upstanding sidearms :99. The side arms 99' are provided at their free ends with the hinge eyes 91 through which the bar 81' passes. Thus the brace unit-.88 swingingly supported. -:on the bar :81 and the overall width of this brace unit is rsuchtha-t it "conveniently fits between the side walls 11 ofithe bottom portion of the scoop: so that the bar89 will 'rest in the angle between the bottom: plate '1'9 andherbackwa1l11.8..

To acilitatexthe maintenance of the brace nnit 88 in bracingyor :proping position for thehand-le unit 19, the back wall is provided with tines-1dr more suitable spring clips 92.; which. arexsecumd by screws, bolts or the like as indicated at 93 to the back wall 18. The bar 89 slips under the clips 92 and is firmly held in proping position as shown.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 8 to 11 is designed to have fabric back and side walls which form continuations of the rigid walls 11 and 18.

As illustrated in Figure 8 a flexible fabric wall is shown and generally designated 94. This flexible fabric wall is preferably formed in one piece but is shaped to provide the side wall portions- 95 and the back wall portion 96.

The bottom edges of the side and back wall portions 95 and 9B are suitably secured by rivets or the like to the adjacent walls 11 and 18 respectively of the bottom of the structure as illustrated and the top edge of each side wall portion 95 is shaped to provide a sleeve 91 which encloses the adjacent side member of the handle unit. The top edge of the back wall portion 99 is likewise formed to provide a sleeve or hem 98 through which the bar 81 passes.

If it be preferred that the fabric wall be discarded for rigid side wall and back wall extensions the side and back walls 11 and 18 of the bottom portion are provided with suitable slots '99 for the connection of rigid side and back wall extensions I09 and IN respectively. These ex.-

tensions are in the form of plates of metal of suitable height and length and each is provided at its bottom edge with a flat hook tongue I92 which is adapted to engage in a slot 99.

At the two ends of the back wall extension I9! a right angled flange I93 is formed, against the inner side of which the adjacent wall I99 positions and above this flange theback wall portion I9I has the outwardly extending tongue I94 which is designed to be received in the slot or notch I95 formed in the longitudinal edge of a long flat hook member I 96, at one end of the latter. The other end of the hook member is pivotally attached as at I91 to the adjacent wall extension I99. With this arrangement it will be readily seen that the low walls or flanges 11 and 18 of the bottom portion are extended by the wall extensions I99, I9I whereby there is provided a scoop structure which may be used for heavier work and which has rigid walls for that purpose.

In order to facilitate the tipping and dumping of the scoop the back part of the back flange 18 is provided with a hand grasp or handle I98, as shown.

.Iclaimt In a material handling scoop, a metal body having a fiat rectangular bottom, interconnected flanges upturned from the side and back edges of the bottom, an inverted U-shaped handle having the lower ends of its leg portions disposed at the inner sides of the forward ends of the said side flanges, pivots connecting said leg portions to the side flanges, a transversely disposed bar connecting said leg portions intermediate their ends, a brace member of substantially U -form having the free ends of its leg portions hingedly connecting said bar adjacent the ends thereof and its medial transverse portion adapted to bear against the lower portion of the said back flange when the handle is swung into an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position, spring clips spacedly mounted on the inner side of the said back flange to engage over the said medial portion of the brace member to maintain the handle in said inclined position, foot portions out-turned from the free ends of the first leg portions, a blade extending between and secured to the lower sides of the foot portions, other flanges up-turned from the opposite ends of the blade and adapted to move into overlapping relation with respect to the outer sides of the adjacent ends of the said side flanges when the handle is swung rearward and downward to swing the blade into position to close the forward end of the body, and side and back walls of a flexible material connecting the top edges of said side and back flanges with said bar and the first leg portions between the bar and the pivots.

DAVID F. McLEOD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 222,496 Hinds Dec. 9, 1879 860,746 Hoffman July 23, 1907 1,678,135 Crosman et al July 24, 1928 

